SHS

General Physics 2 Activity Sheet

Quarter 3 – MELC 15 &17
Week 3
Electric Potential Function

REGION VI – WESTERN VISAYAS

General Physics 2
Activity Sheet No. 4
First Edition, 2021

Published in the Philippines

By the Department of Education
Region 6 – Western Visayas

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Introductory Message
Welcome to General Physics 2

The Learning Activity Sheet is a product of the collaborative efforts of the

Schools Division of Negros Occidental and DepEd Regional Office VI - Western
Visayas through the Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD). This is
developed to guide the learning facilitators (teachers, parents and responsible adults)
in helping the learners meet the standards set by the K to 12 Basic Education
Curriculum.

The Learning Activity Sheet is self-directed instructional materials aimed to

guide the learners in accomplishing activities at their own pace and time using the
contextualized resources in the community. This will also assist the learners in
acquiring the lifelong learning skills, knowledge and attitudes for productivity and
employment.

For learning facilitator:

The General Physics 2 Activity Sheet will help you facilitate the leaching-
learning activities specified in each Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC) with
minimal or no face-to-face encounter between you and learner. This will be made
available to the learners with the references/links to ease the independent learning.

For the learner:

The General Physics 2 Activity Sheet is developed to help you continue

learning even if you are not in school. This learning material provides you with
meaningful and engaging activities for independent learning. Being an active learner,
carefully read and understand the instructions then perform the activities and answer
the assessments. This will be returned to your facilitator on the agreed schedule.
Name of Learner: ___________________________________________________
Grade and Section: ____________________________Date: __________________

GENERAL PHYSICS 2 ACTIVITY SHEET No.4

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL FUNCTION

I. Learning Competency with Code

• Relate the electric potential with work, potential energy, and electric field.
(STEM_GP12EM-IIIb-15)
• Determine the electric potential function at any point due to highly
symmetric continuous charge distributions. (STEM-GP12EM-lllc-17)

II. Background Information for Learners

Earth’s gravitational force is somewhat analogous to electric potential.
This is so because, a moving positive test charge against the direction of an
electric field is moving a mass upward within Earth’s gravitational force. Their
movements would be like going against nature and work done by an external
force. This means that work increases its potential energy of the object.
Likewise, the movement of a positive test charge in the direction of an electric
field would be like a mass falling downward within Earth’s gravitational field.
thus, this motion would result in the loss of potential energy.

In the same manner, gravitational potential is location- dependent, and

is independent on the mass of the object experiencing the field. It describes the
effects of gravitational field in objects that are place on the location within it.

To further understand the relationship exhibited by the electric potential

between potential energy, work and electric field, consider the figure below:
The electric field created by a
positively charged Van de Graaff
generator. The illustration in the figure
shows that the direction of the electric
field is in the direction that a positive
charge would be pushed; for this case,
the direction is outward and away from
the Van de Graaff. Work is move to a
positive test charge towards the sphere
against the electric field and the amount
of force involved in doing the work is
Figure 1. Van De Graaff Generator
dependent upon the amount of charge
being moved. (according to Coulomb’s
Law of Electricity). Thus, work would change the potential energy by an amount
that is equal to the amount of work done.

Furthermore, the electric potential energy is dependent upon the amount

of charge on the object experiencing the field and upon the location within the
field. Electric potential is the potential energy per charge. This concept was
used to express the effect of an electric field to a source based on the location
within the electric field. There should be a positive test charge at a higher
 electric potential when it held closed to a positive source and at a lower electric
potential when it’s held farther. In this manner, electric potential becomes
dependent of the location within an electric field. Therefore, the relationship
between potential and field is a differential, that, as the test charge was moved
in x direction, the rate of its change in potential was the value of electric field.
.

III. Activity Proper

1. Activity 1: Let’s volt in!
A. Potential energy per unit charge
The potential at any point of an electrostatic field is also known
as potential energy per unit charge at the point.
Mathematically, V = U/q’ or U = q’V
Where:
V= potential
q’= charge
U= potential energy
• Potential energy and charge are both scalars
• SI unit is 1 joule per coulomb (1J/c)
• 1J/C is equal to 1 volt

B. On a work per unit charge basis

In equation: Wa-b = Ua - Ub = Va - Vb
q’ q’ q’
where:
Va = Ua/q’ is the potential per unit charge at point a
Va & Vb = are called the potential at point a and point b

C. Potential energy U of the test charge q’ at any distance r from

charge q is given by:
In equation: U = 1 qq’
4πЄ0 r
D. The potential V at any point due to an arbitrary collection of point
charge is given by:
In equation V= U/q’ = 1 Σ qi/ri
4πЄ0
Where: 1 , is the potential energy when q is at point a, at a distance r
4πЄo. from q.
V = potential at any point in electrostatic field
r =. distance from respective charges from point a to point b.
q = point charge distribution

Note that potential is like electric field which is independent of the test charge
q’ used to define it.
• When a charged particle moves in a region of space where there is an
electric field, the field exerts a force, and does work on it. One simple
example is a pair of charged parallel metals set up a uniform electric
field of magnitude E in the region between them, and the resulting
force on a test charge q’ has a magnitude F= q’E.
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• When the charge moves from one point to another point, the work done
by this force on the test charge is
Wa-b= q’Ed
(This work was represented by a potential – energy function).
• If you take the potential energy to be zero at point b, then at point a it
has a value q’Ed, thus at any point a distance y above the bottom plate
is given by

U(y) = q’Ey

• And when the test charge moves from height y1 – y2, the work done by
the field is given by
W 1-2 = U (y1) - U (y2) = q’ Ey1 – q’Ey2

• When y1 is greater than y2, U decreases and the field does positive work
• When y1 is less than y2, U increases and the field does negative work

Sample Problem:
1. A particle having a charge q= 3x10-9c moves from point a to point b
along a straight line, with a total distance of d=0.5m. The electric
field is uniform along this line, in the direction from a to b, with
magnitude, E = 200 N/C. Determine the force on q, the work done
on it by the field, and the potential difference Va – Vb.
Given:
q’ = 3x10-9C
E = 200 N.C-1
Solution:
The force is in the same direction as the electric field, and its
magnitude, thus in
a) F = q.E = (3X10-9C) (200 N.C-1) = 600 x 10-9 N
The work done by this force is
b) W = F. d = (600x10-9 N) (0.5m) = 300 x10-9 J
c) Va – Vb = W/q = 300 x 10-9 N / 3 x10-9 C = 100 J.C-1 = 100 V
Va – Vb = E.d = (200 N.C-1) (0.5m) = 100 J. C-1 = 100 V

(Note. You can either use any of the two equation in solving for
potential difference).

2. Point charges of + 12 x10-9C and -12x10-9C are placed 10 cm apart.

Compute the potentials at points a and b, given that the distance at
point a from the positive charge is 6cm while on the negative
chrage.is 4cm. And at point b, the distance from the positive charge
is 4cm and 14 cm on the negative charge.
Given:
q+ = 12 x 10-9C
q- = 12 x 10-9C
da = 6cm(q+),4cm (q-)
db = 4cm (q+), 14cm ( q-)
Solution:
Using the equation to evaluate the algebraic sum (1/4πЄ0 Σ qi/ri )
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 The potential:
at point a due to a positive charge is

(9.0 x109N.m2. C-2) 12 x 10-9C = 1800 N.m. C-1 = 1800 V

0.06 m
at point a due to a negative charge is

(9.0 x109N.m2 C-2) -12 x 10-9C = - 2700 N.m. C-1 = -2700 V

0.04 m
Thus, Va = 1800V -2700 V = -900 V = -900 J.C-1

at point b due to a positive charge is

(9.0 x109N.m2 . C-2) 12 x 10-9C = 2700 N.m. C-1 = 2700 V

0.04 m
at point b due to a negative charge is

(9.0 x109N.m2 . C-2) -12 x 10-9C = - 770 N.m. C-1 = -770 V

0.14 m
Thus, Vb = 2700 V -770 V = 1930 V the potential

3. Compute the potential energy of a point charge of + 4 x 10 -9 C if

placed at points a and b in problem 2.

Given:
q+ = 4 x 10-9C
Va = -900 V
Vb = 1930 V
Solution:
Using the formula U= qV
at point a
U = (4 x10-9C) (-900 J. C-1) = -36 x10 -7J
at point b
U = (4 x10-9C) (1930 J. C-1) = 77 x10 -7J

Solve the following problems:

1. The potential at a certain distance from a point charge is 600 V,
and the electric field is 200 N.C-1. What is the distance to the
point charge?
2. A potential difference of 2000 V is established between parallel
plates in air. If the air becomes electrically conducting when the
electric intensity exceeds 3 x106N.C-1, what is the minimum
separation of the plates?
3. A particle having a mass m= 5g and charge q’= 2x10-9C starts
from rest at point a and moves in a straight line to point b, under
the influence of the electric fields of the two charges. What is its
speed v at point b?

Activity 2: Answer the following situations briefly.

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 1. If the electric potential at a single point is known can the electric field at
point be determined?

________________________________________________________
2. Why is potential gradient a scalar quantity?

___________________________________________
3. How would you respond to this statement: “Since electrical potential is
always proportional to potential energy, why bother with the concept of
potential at all?

4. Why it is easy to produce a potential of several thousand volts on your

body by scuffing your shoes across a nylon carpet than with a contact
in a power line?
____________________________________________________.

IV. Reflection
What insights about the lesson that will help you in using the appliances at your
home? Cite examples that will concretely shows your learnings.

____________________________________________________________

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Activity 1.
Sample problem
1. Given: 3.. Given :
V = 600 V m = 5g
E = 200 N . C-1 q’ = 2x10-9C
Solution: Solution:
V = E. d conservation of energy gives:
d = V/E Ka + U a = K a + Ub
= 600 N.m/c
200 N since Ka= 0, and Kb= ½ mv2
= 300 m the potential energies;
2. Given: Ua = q’ Va and Ub = q’ Vb
V = 2000 V thus,
E = 3x106 N.C-1 0 + q’ Va = 1/2mv2 + q’ Vb
Solution: solving for v,
V = E. d v = √2q’ (Va-Vb)
d = V/E m
= 2000 V
3 x106N/C Va = (9.0x10 9 N.m2. C-2) 3x10-9C + -3x109C = 1350V
= 0.0067 m 0.01 m 0.02m
= 0.067 cm Vb = (9.0 x 10 9 N. m2 . C-2) 3x109C + -3x109 = -1350V
0.02m 0.01 m
Finally,
V = √ 2(2x10-9C) (2700 V) = 4.65 x10-2m/s = 4.64 cm/s
5x10-3kg
Activity 2 possible answers
1. No, because it needs distance traveled from one point to another to obtain its electric field.
2. It is scalar quantity because it expresses the magnitude of electric field and does not depend on
its path or direction.
3. Because there is a relationship between electric potential and potential energy that we need to
consider even they are directly proportional to each other and that is when a charged particle
moves in an electric field, the field does work on the particle and thus work on it.
4. This is so because the potential created by our body is not as fatal compared with a power line.
The current that is flowing in our body will not cause too much damage while in contact with a
power line can be deadly.
Answer Key V.
VI. References
Boundless Physics-Lumen Learning
https://courses.lumenlearning.com

Electric Potential Energy – Formula, Definition, Solved Samples-Byjus

https://byjus.com>jee>electricpotential

Electric potential energy- Hyperphysics

http://hyperphysics.phy.astr.gsu.edu

Physics Tutorial: Electric Potential – The Physics Classroom

https://physicsclassroom.com>circiuts

Sears, Francis Weston college physics., Physics 1. Zemansky, Mark Waldo,

Young, Hugh DQC23.S369 1985, IBSN 971-11-0612-4

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